The Ghost of You
by MRTL85
Summary: Following Journey's End, Rose now must come to terms with being left in the parallel world with the Meta-Crisis Doctor. How will she cope being abandoned by her Doctor, only to have him be replaced by his double? Will she find it in her heart to accept the half Doctor and eventually fall in love with him?
1. Chapter 1: Bad Wolf Bay

**Chapter 1:**

**Bad Wolf Bay (Dårlig Ulv-Stranden)**

Rose watched the TARDIS slowly fade away into nothing, stunned by the events that had just transpired. The Doctor, her Doctor, had just left her again and had gone back to her old universe, never to return with his latest companion Donna Noble. This time, he had left with her a mere ghost of himself, complete with TARDIS fragment, ready to be grown for this universe. This Doctor, being half human, would age like Rose yet still have all the memories that she and her Time Lord had shared. She supposed it was his way of trying to lessen the burden of abandoning her, thinking it would somehow make up for the fact he could never see her again. Right now, it didn't even come close.

No matter what her Doctor had said about the man who he claimed to be his clone, she still felt that familiar tear in her heart grow, leaving her raw with emotion, as he left her on that bloody beach for the last time. Not even the kiss she had impulsively shared with the partial Time Lord could possibly mend the gaping hole that her Doctor had now left. How could she ever get over this enough to let the human Doctor in and love him as much as the one with two hearts? Could she possibly find it in her heart to travel the stars with this version of her Doctor? Currently, she felt that he was just a poor replacement for the one she truly loved.

Just then, a hand slowly encompassed Rose's, bringing her back from her reverie. She turned her face to meet his and stared into his dark eyes.

"Rose?" Said the partial Time Lord gave a questioning look, his face full of concern. His free hand went to wipe off the residual tears from her glistening cheek all the while looking too much like the alien she longed for.

Rose, slightly taken aback, quickly recovered with a sad smile. "I'm alright. I just need some time, yeah?" Letting go of his hand, she turned toward her Mum and started walking up the beach.

XOXOXOX

As the hybrid Doctor watched Rose walk away, he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned inward as his mind filled with tumultuous thoughts about his new life.

Why had Rose insisted that he wasn't the Doctor? He looked like him, he thought like him and even had his memories. Blimey, did she really think he was so different from his full Time Lord double, just because he had the heart of a human and could age like one too? His memories told him he was not used to coming in second, nor was he happy about it. He was

the one who told Rose he loved her, not his full blood twin! He said the one thing her Doctor could not. Didn't that count for something?! Despite this, he really was only going on what his memories showed him. He had no real world experience with this pink and yellow human.

He also wondered if he even wanted to pursue these seemingly borrowed feelings. His full Time Lord counterpart had always held her advances at bay. This was simply because he couldn't bear not being able to spend his forever with her. 'Humans wither and die' as he once put it, while he lived on. Now that he was human though, he could do so freely and without guilt.

Was that what Rose really wanted? It certainly seemed so, as he recalled the passionate kiss they shared just moments before. Did that mean she still wanted to be beside him while they spent the rest of their lives traveling time and space, even after he committed genocide of the Daleks? Was he really as dangerous as the other Doctor said and was Rose the only person that could make him better? Coming out of his thoughts, he realized they had left the beach and were headed to the nearest town.

XOXOXOX

"Hi love, it's me...guess. Bloody Bad Wolf Bay, that's where!..." said Jackie Tyler, talking on her mobile to her husband Pete, as Rose and the Meta-Crisis Doctor stood waiting in awkward silence."...I don't know, maybe he did it out of tradition? You remember the last time, don't you?...oh, how is Tony? ...that cheeky monkey! Oh well, as long as he's not hurt. Give him my love - oh, before I go, here's something else I need to tell you. You won't believe it! There's two versions of the Doctor now! Left one here for Rose and he's half human!..."

Avoiding eye contact with the partial Time Lord as she really couldn't bear to look at him just now, Rose continued her inner discussion while looking down at her shoes. She was going to have a lot of explaining to do to her father when they got back home, and she was not looking forward to it. Hopefully, the half Doctor would take over and she could escape to the confines of her bedroom to process the day in peace. Oh God, did she want to be home right now with a good cuppa, snuggled in the comfort of her own bed so she could have a good cry and get it out of her system. It couldn't come fast enough!

While waiting for Jackie to finish, the half Doctor rocked back on his heels, kept his hands in his pockets and also turned his attention inwards.

No matter what the issue was between Rose and himself, he had to start formulating a plan. He needed to figure out how to 'play house' until he could speed up the regeneration process of the TARDIS fragment so he, and hopefully Rose, could once again travel through time and space. He usually didn't do domestic, but in this case he had no choice.

He looked in on some of the memories he possessed and remembered there was an alternate

Torchwood, headed by Pete Tyler, in the world he now belonged to. Maybe with their help, he could start shatterfrying the plasmic shell and modify the dimensional stabilizers to decrease the time the TARDIS would need to grow. If his calculations were right - of course they were - it shouldn't take longer than a year! Brilliant! He would definitely have to discuss this with Pete when he saw him next.

"...Anyway, we'll make our way to Helten if you could send someone to get us? ...They'll be here tomorrow morning at 10? Ta! love you both, see you soon!" Ending the phone call, Jackie looked at Rose and the Doctor with her hands on her hips and said "Right, come on you two, we need to get to Helten before it gets dark, forward march!" And they continued walking in silence.


	2. Chapter 2: Needs Vs Wants

**Chapter 2:**

**Needs Vs. Wants**

It was late afternoon when they reached town, their feet tired from the long walk. Not much was said between the half Doctor and Rose, as they trudged along. Jackie was the one to break the silence.

"I don't know about you two, but could sure use some hot food and a good cuppa. First though, we need to check in to a hotel and then get some essentials if we are going to last until the zeppelin arrives." She said to the two of them, not expecting a response.

The partial Time Lord spoke first. "S'pose you're right Jackie. I am feeling a little peckish-well, more like famished actually. Could also do with a good kip too. What say you, Rose Tyler? You up for a bit of food?"

Rose nodded and replied, "Ya, sounds good. I wouldn't half mind some chips right now" as a small smile crept up her lips.

A cheeky grin came to the Half Doctor's face, as he remembered the first date Rose had shared with his full Time Lord counterpart. "That reminds me of the time we went to the year five billion to watch the end of the world on platform one. Do you remember?"

Rose, forgetting her heartache momentarily, replied "Our first date – we had chips!" As soon as she said those words, her smile faltered and she muttered "On second thought, I don't feel hungry anymore. Maybe you could bring me back something instead? I think I'll just head to bed when we check in."

Sensing she was uncomfortable with talking about the memory, the half Doctor decided not to push Rose any further and simply said "Yup", popping the 'p' and nodding his head in agreement.

A few moments later they reached a suitable hotel and sauntered into the lobby. At the front desk, a man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes watched the trio come in. Jackie went up to the gentleman and asked for 2 rooms, specifying they be close in proximity and one needed to be a suite with two beds.

The blue eyed attendant nodded and said "Yes Madam, we have two rooms available with your specifications. They are located on the third floor of the hotel – rooms 310 and 312, the latter having the suite. Will this do?", his voice thick with a Norwegian accent.

Meanwhile, the half Doctor wandered about, already bored out of his mind. He began inspecting the many paintings of the foyer, flicking through the tourist brochures and testing the lobby's chairs by bouncing on them.

"Yes, thank you" Jackie said, as she gave her information, paid for the rooms with her credit card and gave Rose one of the key cards to their suite. Just before Rose turned to find the elevator, Jackie grabbed her arm gently and said in a quiet voice "Sweetheart, I know how hard you worked to get back to the Doctor and I'm sorry it didn't work the way you planned. Your heart may be broken now, but it will heal, and as I see it, he's given you a gift. Don't waste it."

With fresh tears threatening to fall, Rose softly replied "I know Mum. I just need some time to get my head around the situation. I'll come around, I always do" As she wiped the tears from her lashes and gave her Mum a hug.

Jackie nodded in agreeance and decided to change the subject. "Since you've decided to get an early night, is their any essentials I can pick up for you while his highness and I are at the shops?" She said with a smirk.

Rose, smiled at her mother's comment. "Actually, that would be great, thanks. All I need are some pajamas and knickers – size medium, a toothbrush, toothpaste and something to brush my hair with."

"Alright love, we'll also make sure to bring you back some take away. I'll just put it in the fridge if your asleep when I get in, shall I? Off you pop." Jackie said as she kindly pushed her daughter towards the elevator.

"Now, where did he get to?" Jackie pondered with her hands on her hips as she began looking around the lobby for the half Doctor.

"Trying to phone home, are you? Your just like bloody E.T., you are!" she quipped as she

found the partial Time Lord toying with a pay phone in an alcove off the lobby.

"Oi! I take offense to that remark! I'm only part alien if you care to remember Jackie, and as for looks, E.T. has nothing on me." the half Doctor exclaimed ending the sentence with a cheeky grin.

Rolling her eyes, Jackie sighed and motioned for the partial Time Lord to follow her out of the hotel. Walking down the steps and onto road, they soon found a shopping centre that supplied everything they needed.

Walking into the entrance, Jackie and the partial Time Lord looked around, immediately finding a hypermarket called ICA Maxi where they could get everything they needed.

"Now, since I am the one with the money, don't wander off too far. Just grab the necessities you will need for tonight, yeah?" Commented Jackie as she turned around to see the half Doctor already traipsing away from her.

XOXOXOX

The partial Time Lord, only half listening to Jackie's requests, sauntered down one of the isles not really knowing where to start first. Minutes later, he found the Men's section and decided to start there. Browsing through the department, he casually picked up shirts and trousers as he went and put them up against himself to see if they would fit. Still continuing to browse, he made his way through the department trying to think of what he would consider 'essential'.

Suddenly, spotting the section designated for coats, he let out an excited "HA!" and dashed full on towards it. His face was full of excitement as he frantically browsed through the coats until he found exactly what he was looking for: a brown, ankle length faux-suede trench coat, complete with satin lining. This coat closely resembled the one his full Time Lord twin wore, minus one small difference; the satin was a beautiful maroon colour. "Oh, you beauty! Your gorgeous! I'm going to have to get you!" He gleefully slipped the coat on and twirled about, almost knocking into a rack of oxfords. Sighing with happiness, the half Doctor decided the trench coat was an essential he just couldn't live without.

Continuing on through menswear, his excitement overtook him as he forgot to search for more practical essentials like underpants and socks. Instead, he went looking for something that, he thought, made him look a little bit cleaver. Eventually coming across a rack of glasses, he began trying multiple pairs on. Settling on a pair of square, black frames he put them on, gave a beaming smile and waggled his eyebrows for good measure. Now that he grabbed everything he thought he needed, the hybrid Doctor decided to turn his attention back to finding Jackie.

Five minutes later, the half Doctor found her in the toiletries section of the store, picking up

some toothpaste and some toothbrushes. "Ah, Jackie. There you are. I think I've found everything I need. how did you get on?" Now clad in his trench coat and glasses.

Turning to look the hybrid Doctor, she realized the only things he managed to 'pick up', were a flipping coat and a pair of bleedin' glasses. "You've got to be kidding me. Are you trying to wind me up or something?" Obviously irritated with his lack of attention and self control.

Not knowing what she meant, the half Doctor gave a quizzical look. "I'm not. Everyone needs a good coat, especially one with pockets! Pockets are a genius invention, don't you think? I once smuggled a portable prismatic matrix stabilizer onto the planet Apollonian in the galaxy of Delphi-386 in one of my pockets. If Rose and I hadn't done so, the planet would have been blown to smithereens! Besides, I think it looks good on me."

"And as for the glasses, th-" trying to continue, the partial Time Lord was interrupted by Jackie.

"Doctor! Stop, yeah?. You're really a plum, aren't you! I meant essentials like pants, toothbrush, toothpaste, pajamas and a comb, not a ruddy coat and a pair of glasses you don't even need!"

The partial Time Lord looked at her sheepishly "Oh. Right. So sorry. Forgot in my excitement, I guess. On the TARDIS, almost everything is provided for, so I don't usually go out for 'necessities'. I'll just go look for them, shall I?" He walked away as fast as his feet could take him.

The half Doctor momentarily felt a pang of longing stir deep within himself as he quickly navigated the store picking up the objects that Jackie had listed. He reached into his pocket and felt for the piece of TARDIS he was given. Curling his slender fingers around it, he hoped the time would go reasonably fast so he could once again travel the stars with Rose.


	3. Chapter 3: New Beginnings

I apologize I haven't updated in a bit, I have just gone back to work after being on maternity leave and I'm finding it's harder to find the time to write. I'll try and post as often as I can but no guarantees it will be consistent. Once things settle down for me, I hope to try and post chapters closer together so you all are not waiting forever to find out what Rose and the half Doctor are up to next.

- just a reminder, I own nothing related to Doctor Who or Harry Potter. Sorry, slight spoiler there, please don't kill me. -

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**New Beginnings**

As soon as Rose entered the hotel suite, she leaned up against the door and sighed. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she pushed off of the door and headed for the bed. Sitting down, she kicked off her shoes one by one and slowly scooted back to the headboard. Picking up the channel changer on the nightstand, she turned on the TV to unwind a little.

Flipping through the hotels limited channel selection, she soon stopped when she saw the movie 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' being televised and decided to watch it. She was definitely in the mood for melancholy Romance right about now as it perfectly fitted her situation. Seeing this movie when she was still in the other universe, Rose noticed a few things that were different in this version.

Still, the plot was the same and it had an identical effect on her as the motion picture did in her old universe. Wiping the budding tears from her eyes, she continued to watch with anticipation, waiting for the best part. At the end, the main character learned to move on with her life and once again embraced it. Rose hoped she could do the same in her own life and she wanted it to be sooner rather than later.

After turning off the TV, Rose went to the kitchenette and made herself a cup of tea, trying to think about the pros of her current state of affairs. Even though she wasn't in the privacy of her own room like she had planned, she felt being in the hotel room alone was better than nothing. She had to get this figured out, if not for her own sake, then for the half Doctor's. She owed him that much.

First of all, she wasn't alone and nor was her Doctor, and for that she was very thankful. She knew he would be a wreck if he didn't have someone there to distract him and Donna Noble, now part Time Lord herself, could do that indefinitely. She also recognized that the half Doctor would need a good support system if he was going to succeed in adapting to being part human. He needed her support through this transition as much as she needed him to help her move forward.

Furthermore, she could express all her pent-up feelings she had harboured for the Doctor without the fear of rejection from him. For years, the Full Doctor and Rose kept skirting round the issue, flirting mercilessly but never doing anything about it simply because of the differences in their lifetimes. Now, she could clear the air between them by declaring her love to the half Doctor if she chose, knowing full well it would be returned in full.

It certainly helped that the half Doctor looked identical to the the one from her original universe; The same lean body under that form fitting suit, the same brilliant mind and the same fantastic hair she used to constantly fantasize about running her hands through...bloody hell, no wonder she kissed him earlier!

Rose was still hesitant to share those feelings, however, because she still felt quite vulnerable after all that had happened. Perhaps, in a few months, when her heart had more time to heal, she could gain enough courage to tell the half Doctor how she truly felt. For now though, she was inclined to keep any amorous feelings she had to herself and start off with just being friends.

Feeling slightly better that she had reasoned out her thoughts towards the half Doctor, she decided to go for a quick walk around the block of the hotel to clear her head. She made sure she had her wallet, mobile and key card in hand, strolled out the suite and made her way down to the lobby.

Stepping out into the curb, she breathed deeply, filling her lungs with the fresh salty air only a sea fairing town could possess. It instantly melted any leftover anxiety she had and replaced it with the courage and determination to move forward.

Rose began walking at a steady pace, stopping here and there to window shop if something caught her fancy. Seeing the bookstore she had wanted to check out on her last time in Helten, she decided to enter to see what inventory they carried.

Rose wandered the store, browsing a few sections at the front of the shop but nothing really taking her fancy until she found herself in the Fantasy section of the store. Spotting 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' on one of the shelves, she picked it up and gave a tongue between teeth smile. Knowing the Doctor's choice of books was probably the same as the half Doctor, she decided to buy it as a gift for him. Making her way up to the till, she paid for the book and began walking back to the hotel; now with a new bounce in her step, she hoped he would take the gift as a token of good faith between the two of them.

XOXOXOX

After the half Doctor promptly found everything he needed and even some things he didn't, Jackie paid for the merchandise and began looking for a suitable place to order take away from.

Spotting a restaurant across the road, they traipsed toward it, mouths watering at the delicious smells that were permeating from the establishment. Stepping inside, they made their way up to the till to inquire about ordering their food to go. They stepped up to the counter and took a menu to see what was available. Seeing as it was a restaurant that served international cuisine, they quickly settled on an old favorite. Deciding on three portions of fish and chips, they asked the maître d' if they could place their order.

Fifteen minutes and a bag of take away later, they headed back to the hotel to meet up with Rose and eat their food.

As they traveled upwards in the elevator, Jackie gave the half Doctor his key card for his room. "Here you are. Make sure you keep it on yourself at all times, mind."

"What's this for? Looks like one of those bank cards Rose showed me - well, I say showed but really I watched her as she used it in one of those bank machine thingies. Still, is it similar to that?" Inquired the partial Time Lord as he flipped it between his long fingers.

"It's your key card, you silly man! How else are you supposed to get into your hotel room - and don't think for one second that you would just say in the room Rose and I will be in, cause that's definitely not happening!"

His face contorted in mock horror, the half Doctor replied "Why would I want to do that? Being in the same room as you while you're sleeping? No thank you. You probably snore! Bad for my thought processes."

With that, he walked out of the elevator but not before Jackie gave him a good swat on his arm for being so rude.

They got to the hotel rooms and Jackie opened the door to the suite. As they walked in, they found Rose on one of the beds watching telly.

"Hello sweetheart! You feeling better? We brought you your favourite, fish n' chips!" Jackie placed the bags on the table while the half Doctor began passing out the food.

"Cor, that smells amazing, thanks!" Said Rose as she took her portion from the half Doctor and immediately began to tuck in. Savoring the first bite of a chip, she continued "these have to be the best chips I've had in a while - good choice Mum! Mmmmm!"

The half Doctor nodded in agreement and added "oh yes, brilliant! Good choice Jackie." He popped a piece of deep fried cod in his mouth and licked his fingertips in agreement while his stomach rumbled for more.

When he was a full Time Lord, eating and sleeping on a regular basis wasn't something he did. His advanced Time Lord physiology allowed him the privilege to go days without eating or sleeping. Now being part human, the half Doctor really had to pay attention to things like hunger and tiredness.

After the trio ate their fill, yawns were exchanged signaling a mutual agreement for sleep. The half Doctor stood up, grabbed his bag of necessities and Just before he decided to take his leave for the night, Rose put a hand on his arm halting him as he headed for the door.

"While you two were picking up stuff, I took a quick walk to clear my head. Found this. I thought you might like it for the zeppelin ride tomorrow." Rose grabbed the book and handed it to him.

The half Doctor's eyes instantly lit up as Rose gifted him the book. "Rose, thank you. This is brilliant! I can't wait to see whats changed. Good thing that this one isn't as sad as the seventh, otherwise you'd be privy to watch me cry." The half Doctor said with a wink.

Rose smiled with her tongue peaking out between her teeth and replied "you showing off your sensitive side while reading a book? I'd love to see that!" Rose then gave the half Doctor a quick hug before opening the door to let him out.

"Night, see you in the morning." said the partial Time Lord to Rose as he passed through the doorway.

"G'night, Doctor." Said Rose and with a short wave, she closed the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4: Confessions

Yay! I finally uploaded this chapter! It has taken me _so_ long to write this one out, but I promise you it was worth it! I am giving a warning for this chapter due to the fact it has some talk about abuse, language and some (mild) adult themes.

Again, I do not own anything Doctor Who. That belongs to the almighty BBC and Moffat!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Confessions**

The half Doctor stared at the door he had just exited moments before while pondering about the gift he was given. He knew she was not up for any sort of romantic relationship just now, but maybe this was her way of showing him that she was still up for being friends.

He turned towards his hotel room and unlocking the door with the key card, he stepped inside.

Placing the book and the bag on the built in dresser, he sat on the end of the bed, kicked off his trainers and pulled off his blue suit jacket, which he slung it over a nearby chair. Grabbing the remote, he turned on the telly and began to flick through the channels. After a half hour and finding nothing particularly interesting on, he decided to try and sleep as his body betrayed him with a yawn. Sliding out of his t-shirt and trousers, he turned down the bed and slipped under the covers. He began thinking of all the major adjustments he'd have to come to terms with now he was part human – sleep being one of them.

In his full blooded form, he often went days without sleep due to his superior Time Lord physiology but now, he would need more than a few hours of rest every few days. On top of that, he would have to remember to eat at regular intervals too, which was something he never even thought of doing before. Being part human was going to be a hassle, he just knew it. He sincerely hoped that his Time Lord brain still allowed him his heightened senses at least. He'd have to experiment with them when he got the chance.

For a moment, he half wished that he was no longer part human and back to being his full Time Lord self. He had no idea how to make his new life work as a part human. He just hoped that Rose had a better idea. The _only_ saving grace about this situation was that he could now spend his _one_ life with her; the one adventure his full Time Lord self could never properly have.

Continuing to ponder on that thought, he began to drift off into a fitful sleep. Nightmares began to plague his mind, swooping down like vultures and bringing nothing but anguish and loneliness in their wake. Poisonous thoughts reeked havoc as he watched himself commit genocide to the Daleks twice and then to his beloved planet.

The destroyer of worlds. The executioner. The oncoming storm. The great exterminator. The last of the Time Lords. These names flooded his consciousness over and over again as he watched both Skaro and Gallifrey burn brighter than a thousand suns and cease to exist. The Maniacal laughter of Davros echoed through his mind as he watched the entire Dalek race disintegrate before his eyes instantaneously. He began to fall through the time vortex alone and without his TARDIS to save him, spinning out of control, spiraling down into oblivion. All of the peoples of Gallifrey screaming his name, full of and agony and suffering, crying out in utter despair. Doctor! Doctor! DOCTOR!

XOXOXOX

Startled from her sleep to the sound of muffled shouting, Rose quickly realized that it was coming from the hybrid Doctor's room next door. Deeply concerned for him, she hurriedly found the spare key card to his room and made her way out into the brightly lit hallway.

Another shout came from the half Doctor's room as she knocked and asked if he was alright. She waited for an answer but no response came. In a state of worry that something had happened to him, she used the key card to enter his room. Stepping inside, her eyes took a few moments to adjust as she tried to find her way to where the half Doctor slept.

Rounding the corner to where the room opened up, she glanced at the bed and the heartbreaking scene before her. The half Doctor was tangled in a mass of sheets as he thrashed about the bed. His face and chest were wet with perspiration and it glistened as the moon shone through a crack in the curtains. His breathing was ragged and his face was contorted into an expression of pure anguish. Suddenly, he began to shout "No! Stop, Please! STOP!" while flailing his arms and legs like a madman.

On her way to the bed, Rose quickly ran into the loo to grab a wet washcloth for the hybrid Doctors face. Rose, full of concern, knelt down beside him and brushed his fringe off of his brow. She then began to dab his forehead with the the damp cloth all the while worrying her lip.

Putting a hand on his chest, she began to say his name just audible over a whisper. "Doctor? Doctor? It's me, Rose. You're having a nightmare. Wake up, it's alright. Doctor. Doctor..."

Unexpectedly, the half Doctor shot up out of bed yelling "STOP!" The force knocked Rose askew and she fell on her backside. He looked around frantically with eyes wide as saucers, his breathing still ragged from his dream.

Noticing Rose on the ground with a washcloth in hand, he quickly realized what had happened. He must have pushed her back when he sat up. From the looks of things, she must have come into the room and had been tending to him as he had his nightmare.

The half Doctor raked a hand through his unkempt hair and began to tug at his ear. "Rose, you alright? I didn't hurt you, did I? Rassilon, I'm so sorry I pushed you over." Extending his hand, he pulled Rose up off the floor.

"S'alright Doctor. Are you OK though? It looked as if you were having a pretty bad nightmare, do you wanna talk about it?" Rose paused, looking at the still wide eyed and unnerved Doctor.

"I'm fine. It was n-" The half Doctor instinctively began to put up barriers so that Rose wouldn't be burdened by his pain and suffering, but stopped when Rose cut him off to continue her train of thought.

"You know what I think? I think it's good to get stuff like that off of your chest and not keep it locked up inside. Whatever it was about, I'm here for you. I want to know ‒ we're in this together. So tell me, yeah?"

Rubbing the back of his head with one hand, the half Doctor sighed as he watched Rose look up at him through her lashes and placed a hand on top of his. He could never resist Rose when she looked at him like that. The partial Time Lord realized that if he wanted to move forward with Rose in the future, he would have to let her in. He supposed it was better late than never and decided to allow her a glimpse of himself that he never before had let anyone see.

Knowing that he was just about to let his inner most fears and troubles out, a shiver ran through him, making the vulnerability he felt all the more real.

"Right. Okay. I'll tell you Rose but I am warning you, I've never allowed myself this luxury before and it's something I am not entirely comfortable with."

"I understand, but you'll feel loads better if you just get it off of your chest, I promise. Tell you what, I'll tell you something personal about myself if you tell me what your nightmare was about. I'll even make you a cuppa if you want. Deal?" Rose got up, turned on the lights and filled the kettle.

"Deal, seeing as I don't know if I could get back to sleep at this point." The half Doctor swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked to the toilet, closing the door behind him.

Unbeknownst to the hybrid Doctor, Rose watched as his slim frame padded across the carpet, in the reflection of the telly. As the half Doctor closed the door, she let out a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. Why did he have to look so gorgeous even after having a horrible nightmare? It wasn't fair! If the tables were turned, she would no doubt looked like a cat had sucked on her head!

Being in a room where he slept and seeing him only in his boxer briefs was definitely uncharted territory between the two of them and she wasn't quite sure how to deal with it.

Her fingers trembled as she tried to open one of the tea bag packets and almost ripped the tea bag in half in the process. Rose had to close her eyes to regain some form of control over her body before the partial Time Lord came back in the room. She wasn't ready to acknowledge these feelings that were bombarding her heart at the moment. How was she going to keep cool if her bleedin' body kept betraying her like this!

The toilet door opened and the half Doctor emerged, stretching his arms overhead and yawning as he made his way back to the bed. As she caught the hybrid Doctor stretching Rose felt her heart quicken. She couldn't help letting her eyes follow him as he flopped down upon the bed. Rose averted her eyes as the hybrid Doctor leaned up against the headboard with hands behind his head and legs crossed in front of him.

He watched Rose pour the boiled water into the two cups, just realizing that all she had on were a pair of sleeping shorts and a vest top. He gazed at her curvaceous form, lingering at her long, lean legs and her pert bum thoroughly enjoying the view.

Rose turned to bring him his tea, catching the half Doctor in the act of eying her up. He met her gaze, his eyes momentarily darkened with what only could be described as arousal, before they flitted back to their familiar soft brown.

That look sent a charge through Rose like a tiny electrical shock, reverberating throughout her body. Trembling in response to his gaze, she averted her eyes to break the spell and handed him his tea.

Seeing the obvious effect he had on Rose as he got caught looking at her, he gave her a tongue to teeth grin and patted the other side of the bed with his hand.

Rose blushed at his brashness but brushed it off and made her way to the other side of the bed. She sat down next to the half Doctor with teacup in hand and took a sip of the hot liquid. She turned to the partial Time Lord and said "Well? Go on, tell me what your nightmare was about Doctor."

"Alright, time to get down to brass tacks I suppose." The hybrid Doctor sighed and tugged at his ear in apprehension. Plucking up the courage, he began to tell Rose why this nightmare had plagued him in the first place.

"Rose, before I start, promise me you won't judge me before you have heard everything. I have done some very horrific things in my lives and the memories of those things haunt me to this day in the form of nightmares. I don't want you to get the wrong impression about me. I am a different man than I was when these events happened."

"I promise I won't judge you, Doctor" Said Rose as she tried to figure out in her mind what he could have done that was so horrific.

"When I was a full Time Lord, I only slept a few hours at a time, as you know, because I never needed much sleep to function in the first place. Superior Time Lord physiology and all that. It was also a saving grace too, because I didn't have to deal with the nightmares that haunted my mind. I usually didn't sleep enough for them to bother me and the TARDIS helped lessen the frequency of them by her telepathic presence. Now being half human and without a fully functioning TARDIS, I'm cursed with those nightmares again. I fear they will return in frequency and become more intense with the more sleep I get. I am going to need to find some way to subdue them while the TARDIS fragment is growing. Will you help me?"

Rose nodded and replied "Of course I'll help you Doctor, that's what mates are for, right?"

"Good, glad we got that settled. Now to tell you about the nightmare itself." The half Doctor took a deep breath to steady his nerves and rubbed a hand down his face.

"My nightmares are often of Gallifrey and Skaro. I destroyed them both and I relive those moments over and over again. I hear all of Gallifrey screaming my name in pure agony, as I fall through the time vortex and into oblivion alone. No TARDIS, No you, no one. Names float around my head of what alien races have called me for doing such terrible things. The destroyer of worlds, the executioner and the like. I hear Davros' laughter echo through my mind as I cause the Dalek race to get ripped apart before my eyes. You know, he's the one who called me the destroyer of worlds and he was right, I am." The half Doctor let out a ragged breath, trying to keep his composure.

Rose instantly felt her heart go out to the hybrid Doctor as he made his confessions. She could not believe that behind his spirited exterior there was something as dark and sullen as the thoughts and feelings he had just shared with her. How could he not see the hero that she saw him to be? She had memories of his full Time Lord twin saving so many lives and galaxies from harm, how could he not know how important he was?

"That's the burden my counterpart and I must carry. We are the exterminator of races, Rose. These nightmares are part of our atonement just as being the last of the Time Lords is."

"Yes, but you don't have to carry it alone anymore, 'cause you've got me and I'm never gonna leave you." Rose smiled at the half Doctor and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Come here, you." The half Doctor pulled her into an affectionate embrace. As he held her, he could feel her firm breasts push into his chest and he almost let a moan in response. Boy, he could certainly get used to this! Even if he wasn't ready for something more with Rose, he was definitely going to enjoy moments such as these.

His curiosity now getting the better of him, the half Doctor released Rose from their hug and began prompting her to tell him something just as personal.

"Now I've bared my soul, it's time for you to do the same. Come on, out with it. I'm very curious as to what you could possibly tell me that I don't already know." The hybrid Doctor chortled at the thought.

"Oi, I'll have you know there is lots of things you don't know about me! A girl's gotta have some secrets. A deal is a deal though, and I did say I'd tell you something personal in exchange for you telling me your nightmare, no matter how painful it may be."

This obviously piqued the half Doctor's interest, as he moved to face her and straightened himself up.

"Do you remember me ever mentioning Jimmy Stone?" Rose asked the half Doctor and he nodded no in response.

"Well, while I was still in school and I was dating Mickey, we were introduced to him by our mutual friend Tom. Tom was the bassist for Jimmy's band and he invited us to hear them play down the pub one night.

Mickey and I went and listened to them and after we were invited out for a few drinks. We tagged along in their van and ended up in this dingy club in west London called Tiger Tiger. Seriously foul, that place. Anyway, While Mickey was getting his sixth pint of the night, Jimmy came over and started chatting me up. Jimmy was the typical bad boy and since I had had quite a few drinks of my own, I ended up saying yes when he asked me to leave with him. I should've said no, but I just couldn't help myself; Jimmy was just so different to Mickey and I was getting tired of his pansy boy antics. I wanted something new and exciting and Jimmy was just that.

So, we left while Mickey was paying for his pint and ended up going back to Jimmy's. It turns out he lived in a bedsit with 3 other guys. It was a right dump, full of empty take away boxes and things strewn about the floor, a typical bloke flat if you ask me. One thing led to another and next thing I know, I had dumped Mickey, dropped out of school and moved in with Jimmy.

Mum didn't like it at all and we had a big fight over the whole thing. I didn't talk or see her once in the five months that Jimmy and I were together. I really should have listened to her though, 'cause after I moved in with him, things took a turn for the worse."

Rose was now having second thoughts about telling the hybrid Doctor as the memories of Jimmy overwhelmed her.

The half Doctor put his arm around Rose. "You don't have to continue if you don't want to Rose. I understand if it's too painful."

"No Doctor, I want to. I've kept this inside for too long, it's about time I told someone." She replied as she leaned on his shoulder, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks.

Sitting back up, Rose took a deep breath and tried to continue. "At first, Jimmy seemed like a decent bloke but a few months into our relationship, it's like a switch was flipped. He became violent towards me one day, when I accidentally knocked over his guitar. He pinned me up against a wall and threatened if I ever did that again, he would beat me within an inch of my life." Rose let out an unexpected sob as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

The hybrid Doctor gasped at her confession. Rage began to boil deep within him like a volcano getting ready to explode. Through gritted teeth he snarled "If he hurt one hair on your head Rose, so help me Rassilon, I will find him and make him pay for what he's done to you!"

"No Doctor, you won't. The prick has already paid for hurting me and he's been to prison since then. If your going to become like this, I don't know if I want to tell you any more."

"Fine, but if anyone else hurts you like that, I will personally see to it they never do it again." The half Doctor crossed his hands in front of his chest and scowled to the room.

"Can I continue?" Wiping the tears off her cheeks, she took another deep breath to calm herself and resumed telling her story.

"Not only was he physically abusive, but mentally abusive and controlling too. He would constantly belittle me in front of his mates, call me names and basically talk down to me whenever we were together. I had to bail him out constantly from the people he owed money to, I stopped hanging out with my own mates because Jimmy didn't like it, I couldn't go see him and his band play because he'd get really jealous if any bloke came up to me. It was just terrible. Also found out later he would cheat on me with other women at his gigs, guess thats the other reason why he didn't want me to come see him play.

I spent three more months like this until I finally had enough. By the time I had left him, I was £800 in debt and a shell of who I once was. One day, while Jimmy was on the road to Amsterdam - later I found out with a groupie named Noosh - I phoned up Mum and told her I was leaving him and wondered if I could come back home.

Mum never hesitated to let me come back and was really great about it all. She never asked me questions about my time with Jimmy, or bothered me about dropping out of school. I figured she was just so glad to have me back at home that it never mattered much to her.

She even helped me get my job at the shop where we first met. I also began to hang out with my mates again and even got back together with Mickey. I had begun to lead a normal life again...until I met you, of course." Rose smiled at the thought before continuing on.

"Last thing I heard, Jimmy became a door to door salesman after he was let out of prison. Guess he couldn't hack it as a musician, especially after how many fights he used to get into with the club owners. I always knew he'd never amount to much."

As Rose finished her story, she bent her legs up and hugged them, resting her head on her knees and looked sidelong at the half Doctor. "A year and a half later, you showed up with your northern accent and your leather jacket and told me to 'run'. I could never go back to my ordinary life after that and why would I even want to after all you've showed me."

"So, how come you didn't tell one of your mates or Mickey what had happened? I thought after something like that, you would've needed to get it off your chest." The hybrid Doctor asked.

"It was too recent and painful for me to talk about it back then. All I wanted was to somehow delete that mistake from my memory and move on, so thats what I tried to do. When you came into the picture, it made those horrid memories even easier to ignore. You taught me that I was worth something, even if I didn't believe it at first." A yawn escaped her lips and she covered her mouth to catch it.

The half Doctor began to yawn as well, mirroring Rose as he did so.

"Well Doctor, I think I should go back to bed now before Mum wakes up and finds me missing. Hope our talk helped, See you in the morning." Rose got up off the bed and made her way to the door.

The hybrid Doctor followed, stopping to hold the door. "See you in the morning." He gave her a smile as she walked out into the hallway and he closed the door behind her.


	5. Chapter 5: Homeward Bound

I am terribly sorry for not getting this up sooner but alas, life got in the way. I have not had a lot of time to work on this chapter, and this is why it has taken me about a month to publish. I assure you though, it was worth it.

On another note, I have noticed that not a lot of people have reviewed my fanfic. I didn't realize that I had to beg for your input. well, here it goes :P. Please, PLEASE review so I know how I'm doing. I want to improve, and in order to do so, I need and want all of your input. Thanks for listening.

Now, on to the story!

**Reminder: I do not own anything Doctor Who (or Harry Potter). **

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><p><strong>Chapter 5:<strong>

**Homeward Bound**

The next morning, the trio gathered in the hotel room where Jackie and Rose were staying, prior to heading down into the hotel's banquet room to eat breakfast. Just as they were about to head downstairs, Jackie told the other two they could go ahead without her as she made another phone call to Pete. She had found out from the front desk that there was a landing strip just north of Helten and wanted to inform him on how to get there.

Rose and the half Doctor didn't need telling twice as they made their way to the lift, tummies grumbling in unison as they walked.

"So Doctor, did you get back to sleep alright after our talk?" Rose asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Yeah, I did thanks. You were right about talking it out, it helped a lot. Slept like a baby - well a bear during hibernation more like it. I don't know why you lot have that saying, 'cause babies, no matter what species they are, never sleep soundly. They're always twitching and fussing and needing to be fed. I wouldn't call that sleeping soundly at all, would you?"

"You got me there, Doctor." Rose chuckled at him and his non stop gob.

"Rose Tyler, are you laughing at me?" The hybrid Doctor cracked a grin and raised his eyebrows showing off the twinkle in his eyes.

"I just forgot how much you loved to gab. I'm surprised you have time to breathe with all the talking you do!" Rose cheekily exclaimed, giving him a tongue to teeth smile.

"Hmm, a valid question, seeing as I have no respiratory bypass system anymore. I'll have to get back to you on that one." He bantered back, as the lift came to a stop. "Here we are then, ladies first." the half Doctor gestured a hand forward, allowing Rose to exit before him.

They came out into the lobby and headed for the banquet room as delicious smells permeated the air. Quickly finding a suitable table, Rose and the half Doctor the made their way up to the buffet, mouths watering in anticipation.

Handing a plate to the hybrid Doctor while keeping one for herself, Rose took the lead in dishing out the food, filling their plates up to resemble a full English breakfast. Once her plate was filled to her liking, she promptly returned to their table.

Placing her plate down with a clunk, Rose went to fetch herself a cup of tea and inquired if the half Doctor wanted one as he sauntered up to the table.

"I'd love a cuppa, thanks." The hybrid Doctor set his plate down and slid into one of the chairs as his eyes lingered on Rose's curvaceous form while she walked back to the buffet.

"So, I've talked to Pete, and the zeppelin should be at the landing strip in an hour if the weather holds up. You alright, Doctor?"

Not realizing Jackie had entered the room, the half Doctor jumped as she touched his arm.

"Ya, I'm alright. Must have zoned out for a moment there." He shook off the daydream and gave a slight smile.

"Good. Won't be a mo'." As Jackie made her way to the buffet, Rose returned with two steaming cups of tea in her hands.

Plopping both cups upon the table and sliding one towards the hybrid Doctor, Rose grabbed a chair and began to munch on her own breakfast. Noticing the half Doctor picking at his own, she looked at him questioningly.

As if he read her mind, the half Doctor nonchalantly shrugged and said "guess I'm not hungry after all, think I'll just pop to the WC." He then downed his tea in one gulp, pushed his chair back and walked away without another word.

As he walked away, there was something about his countenance that made her uneasy. She had seen that look before. Those ancient eyes narrowing ever so slightly, bottom lip jutting out in an irresistible pout and arms crossed as if he were guarding a secret - he was about to get into trouble. The alarm bells went off in her mind and she knew she had to follow him. She got up from the table and was about to chase him down but stopped short when her Mum plunked her own plate of food on the table and spoke up.

"Leave him. He's fine, he told me so! He's just going to the loo, Rose. I'm sure he'll be back before you know it. Sit down with me and have a chat like we used to, yeah?"

"But Mum, I've seen that look before. He's going to get into trouble, I just know it!" Rose began to plead.

"Seriously Rose, he's just going to the toilet for goodness sake. Let the man do his business in peace! Tell you what, if he's not back in ten minutes, you can go search for him, I'll even help you, alright?"

"Alright" said Rose, her face drawn with defeat as she sank back down in her chair. She glanced at her watch, checking to see how many minutes had passed since his departure, while her Mum droned on, making every second feel like an hour. Tuning Jackie out, Rose's mind flashed through all of the possible scenarios he could be getting into at this very moment.

Eight minutes passed. Nine minutes passed, and sill no Doctor. Rose was now sitting on the edge of her seat in an almost frantic state, ready to get up and find him as soon as her watch rang out at the ten minute mark. Her eyes darted about the room, searching for anything that was familiar to the part alien. Finally, just as her watch began to beep, he appeared. Sighing with relief, she got up and gave him a great big hug.

"Hello, what's this for?" The half Doctor asked quizzically, placing his arms around her shoulders.

"For coming back in ten minutes and _not_ getting into trouble." Rose released him as she gave the hybrid Doctor a knowing look.

"Pfft, me get into trouble without you? Unlikely. The best type of trouble _always_ happens when I'm with you. We're a team, you and I, remember? We're like Sherlock and Watson or Inspector Morse and Lewis or even Sood Strognar and Axoriann Bhedox. I couldn't very well go off and get into trouble without you, now could I?

Holding Rose at arms length, He gave her a megawatt smile and crooked his head in an attempt to reassure her that no trouble was afoot. Grabbing her hand in his own, he added "Come on Lewis, we have some packing to do." Before Jackie could protest, the half Doctor pulled Rose behind him as he made his way to the lifts.

Stepping in the elevator, Rose turned to the hybrid Doctor for an explanation as to why she was so hastily pulled away from her breakfast.

"So?" She asked when he didn't say anything.

"Didn't feel like sitting and 'chatting' with your Mother is all. I've already done enough of that to last me a lifetime." He shuddered at the thought as he leaned up against the back of the elevator, hands spread against the cold metal rail and his feet crossed at the ankles.

Rose rolled her eyes and folded her arms. Shaking her head, she replied "You _do_ realize Doctor, that if we're going to spend the remainder of our lives together, you are going to have to make _some_ effort with my Mum, yeah?"

"I realize that, yes, but it doesn't mean that I'm happy about it. I'll try and make an effort but on one condition: we only visit your family on holidays and for birthdays. We'll be traveling most of the time anyway and won't have time to visit regularly." He pushed off of the railing to stand full height just as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

Rose nodded in agreement, her blonde locks falling in her face while she exited the elevator. As they started to walk, she began fiddling with her pocket to loosen the key card from it's grip and the half Doctor followed close behind.

They walked the short distance to Rose's door in silence, but as soon as Rose was about to open it, the hybrid Doctor stopped her with a question.

"So, are you still up for traveling with me too, then?" He asked, almost timidly.

"Ya, 'course, why wouldn't I? Rose replied, as she turned to face him.

"I just thought, 'cause I changed..." his voice trailed off as he shrugged his shoulders and looked away, somewhat embarrassed by his faulty assumption.

Rose's eyes shone with kindness and she smiled at his sudden vulnerability. "You haven't changed all that much if you ask me. For the record, though, I would still travel with you even if you had six eyes and were green. I could never give up traveling with you, not after all the stuff we've seen and done."

With that, she leaned up on her tip toes and kissed the half Doctor sweetly on the cheek. Her body took no time in reacting to her boldness, as colour crept up into her cheeks and butterflies began to flutter within her, making it hard to breathe.

Becoming flat footed once more, she looked through her lashes at the half Time Lord to see his cheeks fill with a colour that rivaled hers.

They both gave an awkward chuckle and simultaneously looked at their feet, trying to lessen intensity of the moment, yet it did nothing.

The hybrid Doctor raked a hand through his thick, dark hair, pausing at the back of his freckled neck as he spoke. "I'll just go and grab my things shall I? Be back before you can shake a leg."

He was gone in a flash, opening his hotel door with lightning speed and stepping hurriedly through the doorway.

Rose sighed at his speedy departure and opened her door to collect her own things from about the room.

Moments later, someone stepped inside the hotel suite as Rose's back was turned. Thinking it was the partial Time Lord, her heart skipped a beat and she turned around breathlessly to face him. What she hadn't planned on was seeing her Mother.

"All packed up then?" Jackie said, eying her daughter curiously, noting her daughter's flushed appearance.

"Yup. All packed and ready to go, just want the Doctor - I mean - just _waiting_ for the Doctor." Rose immediately became embarrassed at her choice of words, making her already flushed face grow an even deeper shade of scarlet.

Jackie, who was well aware by Rose's reaction that something must have happened between the two of them, wanted to pry but thought better of it. Instead, she carried on as if nothing had happened to prevent anymore embarrassment to her Daughter.

"Good. I'll just grab the rest of my things and we'll be off then. I got the desk clerk to call us a cab on my way up, and he said they would be here in 10 minutes or so." Said Jackie, as she went about the room, picking up her belongings.

Rose inwardly berated herself for acting like a lovestruck fool as soon as her Mum's back was turned. This was utter madness. She wasn't usually the type to get all starry eyed for a bloke, even one as exceptional as the Doctor, but somehow, it had happened. It was as if the half Doctor was playing puppet master, strings wrapped around her battered heart and pulling the pieces together, making her dance whether she wanted to or not.

A knocking sound made Rose jump back to reality. She shook off the self scolding and plastered a smile on her face as she opened the door. The partial Time Lord smiled graciously back and moved past her into the room.

"All set then?" He asked, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Rose.

"Yes, I think we're ready." Jackie replied, picking up her bag and moving towards the door.

"Allons-y!" The half Doctor said enthusiastically, as he bounded out the door and disappeared down the hallway.

A few minutes later, Jackie and Rose joined the partial Time Lord on the front steps of the hotel, waiting for their cab to arrive, shielding their eyes to the brightly lit sky.

Rose's hair whipped around her face as a light breeze brushed past. Taking in a deep breath, she smiled and took in the beauty around her.

The sun illuminated the sky magnificently, its light dancing upon the few fluffy clouds that floated about in careless abandon, while the fresh, salty air rolled in from the beach. The buildings, which stood tall and sturdy, had cast protective shadows against the brightness. People bustled about their daily business, swiftly moving between the contrasting colours of light and dark.

The cab they were waiting for brought Rose's focus back, as it abruptly pulled up to the curb and a middle aged man got out.

"Are you the ones who ordered the cab?" His Norwegian accent echoing in the trio's ears as he looked at them expectantly.

"Yes, that would be us. We're headed to the air strip just outside town." Jackie said with a smile as the cabbie began to put their belongings in the boot of the car. She then moved to the front passenger side of the vehicle and got in as the other two followed suit, sliding silently into the back seat together.

Rose buckled herself in and began to relax, closing her eyes for a moment as her head rolled back against the plush seat. She took a deep breath and sighed, feeling the steady, slow beat of her own heart rhythmically wash over her. The embarrassment she had endured earlier was now gone, and her affections towards the partial Time Lord were back in check, or so she hoped.

Hearing the cabbie's door slam shut, she opened her eyes and gave a quick glance at the half Doctor, who was looking out his window deep in thought. Turning to gaze out her window as the cab pulled away, her own thoughts turned to the enigma that was the Doctor. The night before, he had imparted only a fraction of who he really was and yet, she was already hungry for more. The tiny sliver of information he gave had infected her brain, and now Rose was left with more questions than answers. She knew he would eventually unravel the nine hundred years of time and space his memories held tight, but could she be patient enough to wait that long? She would certainly try.

As she let her thoughts meander down another path, she became aware of something rubbing against her thigh. Startled at the touch, she broke out of her musings to see what it was. Unfortunately, she had no knowledge of what invaded her personal space, because it stopped just as soon as it started. Frowning at the odd occurrence, she turned back to her reverie only to be pulled out again by the same gentle touch. Assuming now the partial Time Lord had done it, she whipped her head around and gave him a scolding look, only to find him soundly asleep against the window.

"Huh" she said to herself, even more puzzled than before.

Shrugging off the incident, Rose returned to staring aimlessly out the window. Her Mother's voice mixed with the driver's foreign timbre and the car's rumble, floated in and out of her consciousness as she watched the landscape pass by. It made such a gentle, constant noise that it beckoned her to close her heavy lids and drift off to sleep within moments.

Rose awoke to the sound of a car door being shut and sat up from her slouched position against the window, surveying what could only be their destination. The landing strip sat back from the main road they had traveled upon, attached by a long drive that was covered in a canopy of trees. It opened up into a massive clearing skirted by evergreens, and in the distance, craggy mountains peeked through wispy clouds like draped chiffon amongst the peaks. The landing strip itself featured a quintessential air hanger, complete with planes neatly tucked underneath and tarmac that seemed to cut its way through the clearing, dividing it cleanly in two.

Stepping out of the cab and grabbing her belongings, she noticed the half Doctor staring up towards the sky, while her Mother promptly paid the driver and thanked him for his services. The cabbie tipped his hat in a silent farewell as he got back in the cab and was disappeared out of sight through the tree covered drive.

XOXOXOXO

The partial Time Lord looked up and squinted at the heavens while propping a hand against his brow, stopping the glare from entering his eyes. He could see the Tyler's personal zeppelin amongst the clouds, descending slowly to meet them on the asphalt where they stood.

This was it. He was now going to have to become 'domestic' until the TARDIS was fully formed and functional. There was no way of out of it now.

A surge of panic rippled throughout his body, making his heart pound frantically and his palms moist with sweat. Quelling the urge to run for his life, he sharply inhaled through his nose and straightened his tie.

"Stiff upper lip." he mumbled to himself and purposely walked towards Rose, his jaw set and a resolute look fixed in his eyes.

Taking her hand, he drew strength from her touch. He felt comfort washing over him immediately, soothing the anxieties that threatened to push their way through his cool exterior.

He sighed, and Rose gave his hand a squeeze in response. He glanced at her illuminated profile, glowing brilliantly in the sunlight and smiled as a memory drifted to the surface of his brain. He had seen her like this once before on Platform One. She was the BAD WOLF. He had regenerated because of her.

He continued to watch Rose as she turned and cast her stunning eyes upon his. Somewhere, a light shone in those deep brown globes that threw him off guard and caught his attention all at once. It stirred something deep down in the core of his being, awakening what he had not felt since he had been reincarnated in this body. Rose smiled in acknowledgment yet no words passed between them. A rock formed in the pit of his stomach as the realization hit him. Rose still had a piece of the time vortex within her. That meant he hadn't recovered all of it. Rassilion, how had he not noticed this before!

The interaction was over in a flash and as he stood totally stunned. The light in Roses eyes had dimmed, and returned to their natural luster. She shook him gently, pulling him out of the overwhelming shock he felt.

He had to think fast. He couldn't tell her, that was for sure. Not yet, anyway. He needed to see exactly how much of the time vortex still resided within her, but how? He didn't know if his telepathic capabilities would be strong enough to detect it, even _with_ permission to enter Rose's mind. He had no idea if she would even let him, but it was worth a try. Rose _had_ said she would help him experiment with his senses to find out how sensitive they were. He would just have to omit this as the reason for testing his telepathy. The rest, he decided, he would have to figure out later.

"Right." He said, his eyebrows moved to meet his hairline as he inhaled deeply and clasped his hands together.

The zeppelin had now landed and he could make out two figures moving towards them. The smaller of the two suddenly ran headlong towards Jackie, as she crouched on the landing strip with arms outstretched.

"Mummy!" The small boy yelled as Jackie's arms wrapped around his little body in a tight hug.

"Hello love! Ohh, did I miss you. Give us a kiss!" Jackie said as she picked the boy up in her arms and twirled about.

The boy leaned his head back and laughed as he put his arms around Jackie's shoulders. A silly smile overtook her lips as she dipped him upside down, his screeches and laughter almost contagious.

Upon seeing the other figure make his way towards her, Jackie put her son down and lovingly embarrassed her husband.

The boy saw Rose and yelled her name in excitement, running towards her and jumping into her arms. He gave her a tight hug as she held him close. Letting go of her little brother, Rose held his hand and kindly introduced him to the Partial Time Lord.

"Tony, I'd like to introduce you to the Doctor. Doctor, this is Tony, my little brother."

Tony, who was now partially hidden behind Rose's leg, peeked out at him with one eye.

"Hello! It's nice to finally meet you Tony" The half Doctor grinned cheerfully and held his hand out as he knelt down to Tony's height.

Tony shyly replied "hello." And timidly shook the half Doctor's hand.

Tony appeared to be about three, with a definite resemblance to Rose. Big hazel eyes looked at the hybrid Doctor apprehensively, while his sandy blond hair became tousled in the breeze. A hooded green sweatshirt enveloped the boy and over sized jeans covered his legs with turn-ups at the bottom, framing a pair of blue trainers that mirrored the half Doctor's maroon ones.

He was about to comment on Tony's pair when Pete Tyler sauntered over to greet them.

After wrapping his arms around his Daughter, Pete turned to the hybrid Doctor. His visage exuded a look of both genuine happiness and curiosity as he released Rose and extended a hand towards the partial Time Lord.

"Welcome Doctor - is it still OK to call you that, now that your...? " Pete said as he firmly shook the hybrid Doctor's hand.

The half Doctor chuckled and replied " I'd prefer it actually. Good to see you too, Pete."

Pete smirked as his other hand reached out and brought him into a one-arm hug, patting him on the back a few times for good measure.

Not expecting such an open display of endearment from Pete, the partial Time Lord stood stiffly and only at the last second patting him on the back with a rigid hand as Pete released him.

"Alright you lot, lets get a move on, shall we?" Jackie said, coming up behind them and scooping Tony up in her arms for another hug.

They all nodded in agreeance and moved towards the massive airship.

XOXOXOX

Rose felt elated to be back in the presence of both her Father of this universe and her little Brother; seeing their smiling faces had acted like a soothing balm on her roughed up heart, helping to speed its recovery.

She never realized how important they had become in her life until she had come back to the world she was currently in. She had been so focused on finding her Doctor, that she completely lost sight of what she had gained by crossing over into this universe.

With a sigh of relief, Rose felt holes in her soul mend, as she became enlightened of those facts. Her Family was no longer broken, but whole. She could finally move on and enjoy life, no longer worrying about her Doctor because part of him was here with her - right here, right now.

At that moment, something shifted deep within her and a heat swept over her entire body, making it feel as if she was aflame. Her breathing became rapid and felt as if the oxygen was being sucked from her lungs, then, as if nothing happened, it was gone.

Rose's head was spinning as she tried to gain her composure while boarding the zeppelin. What had just happened?

She came to an abrupt stop, trying to gain some control over her body before entering, but was met with the half Doctor's lean frame crushing into her back. One of his hands slipped instinctively around her waist while the other planted firmly on the railing of the stairs to steady himself.

This caused an entirely new wave of feelings to stir within her. His closeness made her breath hitch, and the hand that was currently resting on her hip burned into her flesh, making her weak in the knees.

"You alright Rose?" The hybrid Doctor's voice rumbled in her ear, sending a tingling sensation down her spine.

"Ya, I think so." she managed to get out even though her lips threatened not to move.

The partial Time Lord moved away from her, giving Rose the space she needed to clear her head and move up the steps into the airship.

XOXOXOX

The Bad Wolf chuckled to herself as Rose reacted involuntary to her presence. For years, she had kept hidden in the deepest recess of Rose's soul, only interfering to guide the child down the right path of existence, but no longer. She would rise again. The time was right to go forth and show herself once more, to return as the big bad wolf.

XOXOXOX

Stepping inside the cabin, the half Doctor looked around in awe. Even though it did not appear to be bigger on the inside, the amount of space was quite deceptive. Every bit of space was maximized to its full potential, preventing it from feeling claustrophobic. Putting on his glasses, the partial Time Lord wandered around opening drawers and cupboards, mystified about how everything fit.

The fuselage was set up much like the cabin of a sea fairing vessel. Portholes framed the outer walls, allowing the natural light to stream in like spotlights lighting up the main living quarters and galley, which were placed neatly in the centre of the cabin. The bedrooms and a bathroom took up much of the stern down a lushly carpeted hallway. The bow of the cabin was left for the bridge and helm, which was discretely sectioned off from the rest of the fuselage.

After his quick investigation concluded, he found Rose sitting on an elegant suede settee that matched the colour of her eyes.

She was sipping another cup of tea with her legs tucked up underneath, watching her little brother play with cars on the floor. Taking a sip, the steam wisped about her before it disappeared, flushing her face with it's warmth and the partial Time Lord felt his heart skip a beat at the sight.

Flopping down beside her, he rested his hand behind her halo of golden locks, tempted to slide his fingers through her soft waves. He immediately quelled the urge and turned his attention to Tony as a distraction. He needed to stay in control of these _feelings _if he was going to find out why the time vortex hadn't been completely removed from Rose's body.

XOXOXOX

Rose curled herself up on the settee, drinking a steaming cuppa and watching Tony play with his toy cars. Drawing strength from each sip, she now was trying to figure out what happened when she boarded the air ship.

Had she caught something while on her mission to reunite with her Doctor? Could it have been stress related? She decided whatever it was, she should go see a doctor when they got back to London just as a safe guard.

Noticing a shadow casting itself over her Brother's elaborate display of cars, she looked up to see the hybrid Doctor. He made his way to the settee, careful not to trip over the tiny model vehicles that were strewn about. He plopped down beside her, his hand moving along the back of the sofa until it was just behind her head and crossed his ankle over a knee in a leisurely posture.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both watching Tony drive his cars about the room in obvious excitement.

Rose could feel his body beside her, heat radiating from his lanky form and slender fingers just inches from her head. She momentarily wished for him to move his hand until it was embedded in her hair and his lips pressed firmly on hers.

Startled at her desire-led daydream, she gave a small gasp and blushed, trying to hide her embarrassment behind he cup of tea. Thankfully, the half Doctor hadn't noticed and was still transfixed with watching her Brother.

While she took another sip, he proceeded to slide off the couch onto all fours and made his way to Tony and asked him if he could join in.

Tony hesitantly nodded, but it took no time for him to shed any shyness he felt and was soon enthusiastically playing alongside the partial Time Lord.

Seeing the two of them on the ground, playing together, made her heart melt. Deciding that she could no longer be a spectator, she placed her tea cup on the end table and got down on the floor, joining in the fun.

They played with Tony for the remainder of the morning until hunger got the best of them and they stopped for lunch.

Lunch was an easy occasion filled with light hearted discussion over sandwiches, crisps and cold drinks which Jackie had made.

After, Jackie took Tony to bed for an afternoon nap, while Pete, Rose and the hybrid Doctor found their way back into the main living quarters to relax.

While Pete got comfortable in his lounge chair while watching telly, Rose found a magazine and sat back on the settee while the partial Time Lord investigated the bridge until he got thrown out by it's captain for meddling with all the buttons and trying to tell him how to properly fly an airship.

Disgruntled about being thrown out, the half Doctor sat down beside Rose in a huff and began to read his Harry Potter book that Rose had bought him.

As Rose was reading an article, the gentle prod she felt earlier returned. Now certain it was the hybrid Doctor mucking about, she abruptly put down her magazine to confront him when she saw a sizable bulge in his pocket which was pressed up against her leg.

"Oi, what are you playing at?!" She said with a raised voice, affronted by the inappropriate timing and the object protruding from his pocket.

"What?" The half Doctor questioned as he followed her eyes to his swelled pocket. Realization hit him as he looked back at her and chuckled with a cheeky smile on his face.

"It's a banana, Rose. See? I took it from the buffet after I visited the loo. Thought I might get hungry later, so I put it in my pocket. You didn't actually think I'd be that inappropriate, did you?" He said, as he pulled the offending banana from its hiding place and began to eat it.

Feeling flustered by her assumption, Rose's face reddened as she muttered "oh, Sorry." And sank silently back down into the couch.

Sitting back down next to her, he gave a warm hearted smile and said "I've always tried to be a gentleman and will continue to do so." Then, leaning towards her and lowering his voice to a gravelly murmur, he added "unless we're in private, then all bets are off."

XOXOXOX

Ever since Donna had become a part of him during the biological Meta-Crisis, he seemed to relish in his audacious behaviour towards Rose all the more. It was just the sort of push he needed and was quickly becoming thankful it had happened.

The hybrid Doctor always loved teasing Rose, it was one of his favourite things to do. However, now that boundaries were breaking down between them, he especially took pride in making her squirm with his obvious flirting.

Seeing her sitting there, with a blush across her cheeks and her eyes wide with embarrassment, brought up feelings of romance he had thought were long since buried. He realized that it wasn't just based on memories anymore, but real experience with the pink and yellow woman. He had made his mind up and truly wanted to be with her, but there were more pressing matter's to be dealt with first.

XOXOXOX

A shocked expression spread over Rose's face as he pulled away from her. She never expected something so open would come from the Doctor's lips. Wanton feelings stirred low in her belly, as the half Doctor raised a hand slowly to her face. His expression was one of adoration as he gently took his thumb and stroked her bottom lip. Her eyes fluttered closed, as she reveled at his unexpected touch.

Her body instinctively leaned closer to the partial Time Lord, drawn to him like a magnet. She felt his hand slip from her mouth to cup the back of her head, immersing his hand in her hair and his own body move closer.

His breath was hot on her sensitive skin and it sent a tingling sensation throughout her body. She couldn't help but want this to happen. Rose moistened her lips with her tongue for good measure and closed the distance between them.

XOXOXOX

"Yes. Yes. This is what needs to happen, child. Kiss the partial Time Lord. Let him know who resides within you." The Bad Wolf said gleefully as Rose pressed her lips against the half Doctor's.

She had waited for this for a long time. She wanted the partial Time Lord to sense her, to know she was trapped within Rose's body. This had always been foretold. Their timelines were interconnected again for this reason and nothing was going to stand in the way from achieving her goal. He _would_ help her.

XOXOXOX

Jackie finished putting Tony down and returned to the living room to inform the half Doctor that he could stay with her, Tony and and Pete, but stopped dead at the sight of the pair locked in a kiss.

"Oi, if your finished, I'd like to talk to you Doctor!" She said with hands on her hips.

Upon hearing her voice, they briskly pulled away from each other, trying to act as if nothing had happened but failing miserably.

"Can you believe this Pete? Not even 24 hours has passed and these two are already snogging on the couch!"

Pete, who had ignored the whole incident until this point, came to their aid.

"Come on Jacks, leave 'em alone. They have just spent three years apart, separated between two universes. Give 'em a break, will ya' ?" He said as he stepped behind Jackie, put his hands on her shoulders and bent to kiss her on the cheek.

"Oh, all right. I'll leave 'em alone. If I find out, mind, that you two have done anything else before you have spent a few months getting reacquainted, your Father will personally have to hold me back from throttling his neck." She scolded the pair, waggling a finger at them.

"Mum!" Rose protested while the hybrid Doctor subconsciously rubbed his neck.

"I'm sure she's kidding." Pete said affectionately to his Daughter as he gave Jackie a knowing look.

Jackie pursed her lips together and glanced back at Pete with a defeated expression before returning to her original task.

"Right. So Pete and I have had a talk about this and we've decided you'll stay with us until you get on your feet, alright?" She said matter-of-factually to the partial Time Lord.

"You want me to stay with you, in your house? There's no other choice then?" The half Doctor replied and looked at Rose with an expression close to despair.

"Don't worry, Rose lives in our carriage house. You can visit her every day if you like." Pete spoke up, catching the Doctor's pleading look.

The news cheered him up instantly and he traded in his signature pout for a toothy grin instead.

"Alright, I accept." he replied while Pete shook his outstretched hand, sealing the deal.


End file.
